ALMS: BMW Team PTG aims for Petit Le Mans 1-2
21 September 2000
BRASELTON, Ga. (Sept. 20, 2000) -- BMW Team PTG
hopes to move up one step in this year's Petit Le Mans at Road
Atlanta, the signature race in the American Le Mans Series. After
winning the ALMS GT race on the 2.54-mile road course last April,
the team returned in September to score second-, third- and
fourth-place class finishes in the Petit Le Mans. With a two-car
effort for this year's 10-hour / 1000-mile race, the team's focus is
on a one-two finish.
Bolstered by strong podium finishes with the 2001 BMW M3
this season, the team is confident it is close to a victory. "We want
to continue the momentum from the last few races," said Tom
Salkowsky, motorsport manager for BMW of North America, Inc.
"I feel very confident in the team and the amount of effort they're
putting into preparing the cars. We've squeezed a little bit more
out of the motor and we hope to see the team's hard work
reflected in a positive result on the track. We're definitely going to
continue this strong focus on winning and further developing the
BMW M3.
"We have a good history at Road Atlanta and we want to
continue that," he said. " We're also looking forward to seeing
hundreds of BMW car club members and BMW guests who will be
on Spectator Hill in turn 5. We'll be listening for their cheers
during the race."
BMW Team PTG's driver lineup has Hans Stuck of Austria,
Boris Said of Carlsbad, Calif., and Johannes van Overbeek of
Danville, Calif., in the No. 7 BMW M3. Their teammates Brian
Cunningham of Danville, Ky., Peter Cunningham of West Bend,
Wis., and Nic Jonsson of Aliso Viejo, Calif., will drive the No. 10
M3. The cars will carry the colors of team sponsors Flextronics
International, Level One and Yokohama.
Brian Cunningham and van Overbeek scored their first
victory with BMW Team PTG at Road Atlanta in April, 1999. Said
and Stuck paired for the second-place finish in the Petit Le Mans
later in the season, followed by Brian Cunningham, Peter
Cunningham and Brian Simo of Carlsbad, Calif., in third.
"It's a compromise track," Brian Cunningham explained.
"The Porsches have an edge on horsepower, but we have a
better-handling car. At Road Atlanta, we'll have an edge on two-
thirds of the track and they'll have an edge on one-third. It's going
to take a consistent, hard-working team to win. And that's what
we have -- a strong driver lineup, a strong car and a more
powerful engine than we've had in previous events."
"I'm definitely looking forward to getting on the podium again,
hopefully in the top spot with Boris and Hans," said van Overbeek.
"We finished second in the last race, at Portland, so with a bit
more luck and a good performance from all the guys, finishing in
the top spot would be a great result as we continue to develop the
new BMW M3.
"Road Atlanta is a relatively narrow track with some places
that are one-car only, particularly in the esses. It will be a
challenge in terms of dealing with traffic and working traffic
properly, not only to get slowed down but to avoid contact with
faster or slower cars. But the circuit is really fun to drive. The
attendance is great and the fans are enthusiastic, so I suspect it
will be even better this year."
The 10-hour / 1000-mile Petit Le Mans is scheduled to start
at 12:30 pm on Saturday, Sept. 30. It will be televised live on
Speedvision. The ALMS Radio Web will broadcast live on Sept.
28 from 3 pm to 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm to 9 pm, on Sept. 29 from 1
pm to 3 pm and on Sept. 30 from noon until the race ends. (all
EDT) The broadcasts, live timing and scoring, on-demand
interviews, photos, news and updates will be available on the
American Le Mans Series website (www.americanlemans.com).